Chapter 1: Mage Apprentice

Chapter 1: Apprentice Mage

Maple City, the Tower of Mages.

"Today's lesson ends here. Review the material after returning home—these topics appear on every exam."

"In half a year, you'll face the apprentice trial. Meditate diligently, cultivate your magical energy. Don't end up failing and being cast out from the Tower."

"Class dismissed!"

After the instructor left, students gathered their things and prepared to go home.

A group dressed in fine robes clustered together, already planning where to play after school.

The plainly clad hurried back to meditate and train.

Li Wei, wearing the same faded apprentice robe he hadn’t changed in two and a half years, picked up a broom and began sweeping the classroom.

As he cleaned, his mind wandered over his current situation.

Three days ago, he had crossed over from Earth into this world.

After three days of adjustment, he had absorbed the memories of his former self and understood his circumstances.

First— he was an orphan.

Three years earlier, at twelve years old, Li Wei had roamed the lower districts of Maple City, fighting stray cats, dogs, and vagrants for scraps from trash bins.

By chance, a mage from the Tower had discovered his affinity for fire elements.

He had been fortunate—rescued from the life of a street orphan and admitted as a humble apprentice within the sacred Tower.

But that was all.

Having never studied before, Li Wei fell far behind others once inside the Tower.

Two and a half years had passed, yet he still hadn’t cultivated even a trace of magical energy.

Passing the apprentice trial in six months seemed impossible.

In half a year, he would surely be expelled.

Once again reduced to a wanderer.

Losing everything he depended on!

Let alone becoming a true mage—a transcendent being.

After cleaning several classrooms and hallways, Li Wei walked toward the apprentice dormitory.

The Tower provided him shelter and three meals a day.

In return, aside from attending magic lessons, his only duty was to clean the teaching areas.

To be cast out meant losing everything—

Food. Shelter. Hope. Future…

"I must pass the apprentice trial in six months!"

Back in his room, Li Wei sat cross-legged on the bed, facing the wall.

Focusing his mind, a line of text slowly appeared before him in midair.

[Basic Meditation Method (Introductory)]: 58/500

Since his arrival in this world, he could see his own cultivation progress.

With a blink, the words vanished.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

Clearing his thoughts, calming his heart, focusing his spirit to sense the magical elements drifting through the air.

Even the first step took him half an hour to achieve.

After thirty minutes of meditation, he finally sensed the free-floating magical particles around him.

Step two: absorb the magical elements and transform them into mana.

Wind, fire, water, earth, lightning, ice, nature, light, darkness…

Countless types of magical elements existed in the world, but to Li Wei’s senses, there was only one—fire.

Tiny specks like fireflies floated in the air, drawn by his mental force into his body.

Yet most slipped away again, dissipating back into the atmosphere; only a tenth remained, absorbed.

Twenty minutes later, his mental strength exhausted, the meditation ended.

[Basic Meditation Method (Introductory)]: 70/500

Seeing his progress, Li Wei exhaled in relief.

"At this rate, I should be able to pass the apprentice trial in six months."

He pondered deeply.

"The key to cultivating mana lies in the Basic Meditation Method and mental strength. The method determines efficiency—the more elements retained, the easier it is to generate mana. Stronger mental power allows longer meditation sessions."

"If I rely only on rest and sleep to recover, I can meditate two or three times a day at most."

"If I follow this routine, I’ll cultivate mana in no more than twenty days!"

No longer hazy or uncertain about the future, his anxiety gradually faded.

His fears transformed into anticipation, into hope.

"A mage! Transcendent power! I will become a mage!"

Reborn into a second life, with the chance to wield supernatural strength—this was an irresistible temptation for Li Wei.

People of this world could never understand how deeply an Earth-born soul craved such power.

At mealtime, Li Wei ate promptly.

Miss the hour, and he’d go hungry.

After dinner, he returned to his room, lit the magical glow-stone, and studied the textbook knowledge of magic.

For most people in this world, nights were dull and dark.

They couldn’t afford to burn oil lamps or candles for long. Only nobles, officials, and wealthy merchants could use magical lighting.

Li Wei benefited from the Tower—he had access to glow-stones.

"Wind, fire, water, and earth are the four fundamental elements of the world—they compose all things…"

"Water element can transform into ice and air elements…"

"Fire element can transform into lightning and light elements…"

"Wind and water fused give birth to natural element…"

Unaware, hours slipped by. He looked up—it was deep into the night.

He rubbed his throbbing temples. Though his body cried out for rest, his spirit burned with excitement, making sleep impossible.

"Are magical elements the foundation of the entire world? Are they atoms? Even smaller—protons, neutrons, electrons… or quarks?"

"Are wind, fire, water, and earth the most basic particles, combining to form higher ones—lightning, ice, light, air, nature, light, darkness—and ultimately forming the world we see?"

Having read parts of the textbook on magical principles and theories, and integrating them with his own understanding,

Li Wei's perception of magic underwent a revolutionary shift.

Originally, he had believed it to be supernatural, unscientific, extraordinary power.

But after a brief exploration, he discovered that magic was astonishingly scientific!

"Humanity on Earth uncovered macroscopic physical laws, using them to interpret the world—only when macro-physics reached its limits did they enter the microscopic realm, finally finding a true explanation of reality."

"The so-called 'God particle' countless scientists sought in the depths of the subatomic world—every mage in the magical realm could control it!"

"Mages are the group closest to the truth of this world!"

The truth of existence lay right before him; if Li Wei had been a theoretical physicist, he might have gone mad with ecstasy.

But he wasn't. The ultimate truth of the universe meant nothing to him.

What mattered was the power of magic!

"If the world is made of magical particles, then theoretically, mastering them means one could achieve anything!"

This was exactly what Li Wei desired.

Infinite possibilities! Infinite futures! Infinite hope!

"I will become a mage! The most powerful mage there ever was!"

After indulging in boundless visions of the future, he eventually had to return to the present.

He turned off the magic fluorite, plunging the room into darkness, save for the faint glow of distant enchantments beyond the window.

With a heart pounding with excitement, Li Wei lay down to sleep.

He longed to begin training, yet his mind was too restless for meditation.

He couldn't calm himself enough to practice.

Li Wei suffered from insomnia.

Tossing and turning, unable to find rest.

Not until the dead of night, utterly exhausted, eyes too heavy to stay open, did he finally drift into slumber.

(End of Chapter)